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STATE: State enacts earliest ever total fire ban
Five bushfires were left burning out of control on Sunday where cooler weather conditions and easing winds helped to simmer down other blazes in the region.
The main fire at Dover, near the south coast, was threatening onshore facilities at the Tassal fish farm but later burned in nearby bushland.
Other fires are burning at Bicheno on the east coast, North Bruny island and Tarraleah in the Central Highlands.
Another blaze in bushland at Kingston, south of Hobart is now under control and poses no threat to the community.
Southern Tasmania has a total fire ban on Sunday, the earliest total ban in the state’s history.
With the temperature reaching 28 degrees celsius and winds gusting over 100 kilometres an hour, there were more than a dozen fires across the state on Sunday.
Extra resources were called in to fight the Tarraleah fire, which was reported to be 600-700 metres long.
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• Relocate the wharf, says Labor, ABC Radio – 4pm bulletin today (transcribed by Peter)
The Tasmanian Opposition Leader is suggesting the land-locked Triabunna wharf be relocated.
The only deep-water port on Tasmania’s east coast is surrounded by land that is part-owned by millionaire investor and environmentalist Graeme Wood.
Mr Wood has banned log trucks from having access to the port and the state government won’t rule out compulsorily acquiring land for an access road.
The Labor leader Bryan Green says compulsory acquisition isn’t the solution.
“You could potentially move the wharf a couple of hundred metres to the right and build something there, but it really is just a matter of thinking your way through, and at least involving the people who actually own the site, negotiating…talking with them.”